and then loaded onto a cation-exchange resin column (2.6 9 35 cm) previously equilibrated with 80 %
aqueous methanol. The column was sequentially eluted with 0.1, 0.3, and 0.5 M NaCl in 80 % aqueous
methanol at 2 ml/min. Fractions (5 ml each) showing antioxidant activity were pooled and lyophilized to dryness. The resulting samples were dissolved in DMSO and subjected to reversed-phase fast performance liquid chromatography (RP-FPLC) using a Resource 15RPC column (6.4 9 100 mm, GE Healthcare Bio Sciences). The column was eluted with a linear gradient (0–80 %) of acetonitrile containing 0.05 % trifluoroacetic acid (v/v) at 0.5 ml/min. Fractions showing antioxidant activity were collected and lyophilized.